Not What It Seems

My Uncle? (Part 4)

After finishing the first day, and serving my crappy detention, I finally got to go home! I walked through the parking lot to my Escalade. That's when I heard them.

"Why would you tell her? You know how I feel about her! She isn't gonna want to hang out with me now!" Jason growled angrily.

"No, I didn't tell her! She asked but I didn't say anything! No one will want to hang out with you, if you have that crappy attitude." Anna muttered. Jason sighed heavily.

"She's just so beautiful, Anna. I don't know how to act around her, so I just shut her out."

"Just be your sweet self. She will love you, Jason." I sighed and got in my car. Jason liked me. He thought I was beautiful. Lots of boys did, but they were jerks. Jason, he was different. I smiled to myself and drove home.

I burst through the front door, exspecting to find my mom. But no. No one was here.I walked into the kitchen and saw a note on the fridge. It said:

"Went grocery shopping. Dad said he would be back tonight! I thought we could have a family dinner. Please do your homework and feed the dog. Xoxo, Mom"

I sighed happily. Dad was coming home. I was really close to my dad. Haha, just kidding. We barely talked. He ALWAYS worked. I was pretty sure he wasn't working, but cheating on mom. Whatever. At least we are having a family dinner. Of course, knowing dad, he would cancel on us. I went to the back door and walked onto the patio. Ginger, our dog, greeted me by knocking me over and licking my face. Ginger was a Shar-Pei. She was a rescue. I found her on the side of the road, just sitting in a box. She was covered in fleas, but I didn't care. I just saw a puppy who needed love. We got her taken care of, and here she is 2 years later. Happiest and healthiest dog I know!

"Hi, girl!" I croon, petting her back and scratching her head. "You hungry?" I walk to the pool house, and pull out a cup of food. I carry Ginger and the food inside, placing her on the floor and the food in her bowl. I see she needs fresh water.

As I walk to the faucet, I notice something is missing. Oh well, I'm sure it's nothing. No wait, my bag was on the kitchen table. Where is it now? I look around. I grab a kitchen knife and walk into the living room. There, sitting on my couch, is a man I have never seen. He looks through my bag, just chilling on the couch. I scream. Startled, he looks up.

"Good God, Kayleigh! You scared the bajebious outta me!"

"WHO ARE YOU!?" I scream, raising the knife.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, put that down! I'm Jake, your uncle!"

I look confused. "No, I don't have an uncle Jake! Why were you in my purse? How did you get in!?"

"I was trying to find some gum, and I came in here to watch t.v. Your mom invited me over. The door was unlocked so I came inside." he says calmly.

Yeah right. Like I was buying this. I grabbed the house phone and dialed mom's number.

"Hello?"

"Mom! Oh my god! Some creep broke into the house and says he's my uncle! What do I do!?"

Jake sighed. "You have no idea how stupid you sound." He chuckled.

"Kay calm down!" Mom yelled. "He is your uncle, I invited him. He has been in Alaska for 3 years. He wanted to see us."

"Thanks for telling me!" I say sarcastically, before hanging up.

"So Kay," Jake said. "What should we do now?"

"Well, I'm going to do homework, so..." I pause, not sure what to tell him.

"I'll just 'chill'," he says giggling. Wow, trying to be cool makes him even lamer.

I run up the stairs to my room, and plop on the bed. I didn't really have homework, I just had to get away from him. I turn on my radio and listen to some music. Finally, around 2 hours later, my mom calls me down for dinner.

Dinner is awkward. No one really has much to say, and dad didn't bother to show up. Business trip my butt. He doesn't even care enough to call. Mom and Jake began to talk about Alaska. I glance at the clock and see it it almost 9.

"Can I be excused for bed?" I ask.

"Sure, night honey." Mom answers. I hug her and run upstairs. My phone vibrates. I already know who it is.

"So, your meeting me, right?"

I sigh. What to do. "Of course, I need some info." I guess I'm really gonna do this.

At 11:00 PM I get a message. It's him. Telling me to meet him outside. I slip on my flip flops and climb out my window. I walk to the front of the house, and wait.

"Hello, there." says a deep voice.

"Hi." I say, shaking. Where is the voice coming from? There is the sound of crunching leaves. Then I see him. He has dark, short hair. Stock build and very tall. He looks...scary. And kind of familiar.

"My name is Alex. Alex McCann." he says, grinning.

Oh my god. Jason's brother. What does he want with me?! Why is he looking at me like that?

"I can help you, Kayleigh. I can give you answers. But, you can't hang around Jason. He's a bad guy, Kayleigh. And your so sweet and fragile. I would hate for you to be hurt." he whispered.

I shuddered. His voice scared the living daylights outta me! What does he mean 'get hurt'?

"What do you want?" I asked.

"To help you, baby. I want to help you get answers. But you have to help me too. Deal?"

"Help you do what?"

"Nothing hard," he says, smiling. "Just be my friend, that's all."

What a liar. But still, I wanna know. "Deal," I say.

"Perfect," he says smiling. "Meet me tomorrow at 7:00 PM. Behind the courthouse on Main St." With that, he jogged to a maroon van, parked behind a tree.

Oh great. What did I get myself into?